The invention relates to a record and/or read device for a record carrier of card type, in which drive means moves the record carrier and a record and/or read head scans the record carrier during relative movement between the carrier and the head. In a first movement the carrier is fed into the device a first distance substantially equal to or longer than the carrier length in the input direction.
A record and read device according to the above which is available in the market, presents troublesome dimensions, particular in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the record carrier. In this direction the total length of the device has to amount to at least three times the length of the carrier.
In order that the operator shall not be able to manipulate the record carrier during the recording and/or reading process, the total record carrier has to be fed in before the recording and/or reading is started. A relatively long record carrier is required for this purpose. During the subsequent feeding in of the record carrier the recording and/or reading of the record carrier takes place by means of a movement relative to the record and/or read device non-moveable head. One further record carrier length is used for this recording and/or reading. If, when the record carrier has been read, it is found that the record carrier ought to be confiscated, the record carrier has to be fed in a further record carrier length. Accordingly, a device as described above having a non-moveable head and an input direction parallel to the reading direction requires a total length of at least three record carrier lengths.